In the prior art, small components with complex structures, for example, various electronic components, are generally sorted by a vibrating plate. A plurality of grooves, matched with respective components to be sorted in size and shape, are arranged in an array in an inner bottom surface of the vibrating plate. The components to be sorted are placed into the vibrating plate. When the vibrating plate vibrates back and forth, these small components are automatically sorted into the respective grooves. In this way, these small components with complex structures are initially sorted. Thereafter, a vision robot may pick up the components, which have been sorted into the respective grooves, from the vibrating plate and mount the picked components onto a circuit board.
However, in the prior art, the vibrating plate vibrates back and forth only in a horizontal direction. As a result, it is difficult to turn or change the postures of these components in the vibrating plate. Some components may be easily jammed in the grooves in incorrect postures. Once jammed, the whole component feeding system must be stopped, which seriously undermines production efficiency.